The project has been supported by the Arts Council England, UCLan’s Confucius Institute and Lancashire County Council’s Cultural Services department.

The launch event at the Museum of Lancashire on Stanley Street in Preston began with a fabulous Chinese dragon being paraded around the museum’s first floor exhibition space with drumming accompaniment from local school children.

Following speeches from the exhibition’s organisers and the Chairman of Lancashire County Council, guests were invited to sample a delightful array of Chinese snacks.

The Lancashire wide project invited people of Chinese ethnicity to participate in photography workshops and to have their portraits taken by specially commissioned photographers.

A selection of portraits were chosen for the exhibition which will tour venues throughout the county and the whole project will be documented with a book showcasing the photographs and their accompanying stories.

The images in the exhibition were shot by photographers Nicola Brophy, Ray Lee and Kim J Vermeulen using the studios and facilities which were kindly provided by UCLan’s Photography Department.

The result of their collaboration has created a visually stunning collection of photographic portraiture that highlights the cultural diversity within Lancashire and allows the viewer a glimpse into the private lives of our Chinese/Lancastrian neighbours.

The exhibition continues in the People’s Gallery at the Museum of Lancashire until 27th of April, it will then tour a host of other Lancashire venues including The Harris Museum, Lancashire Archives Office and Edge Hill University. Exhibition dates and much more information about the project and its participants can be seen on the ‘Chinese Lives in Lancashire’ website.